What I Learnt In My First 7 Years in the IT Industry

What I Learnt In My First 7 Years in the IT Industry

This short guide explains some of the key lessons and areas of improvement that I learnt about during the first seven years of working in the IT industry.

1.       Communication Is Key

One of the most important lessons I learnt was about communication. I came from a job in the hospitality industry, where communication to customers is important, as well as between staff. Because I had that experience, I had the mindset that communication in the workplace was important.

The areas I've worked in, whether they are it departments or general teams in the business area, all rely on communication.Communication is important within your team, as it ensures that people are kept up to date on what you're doing. Communication with your manager is good, because they need to know about your workload and any issues you're having.

Communication with people you work with is good so that you can find out more information and people are kept up to date on areas they are interested in.

Don't be afraid to speak up or mention something to the relevant person, whether it is a team member, manager, or other co-worker.

2.       How to Excel at Communication in a Workplace

Be Careful Not To Take On Too Much Work

Another trait that I had was taking on too much work.

When I started, I was given small jobs, things that graduates could do without too much hassle. I got these things done quickly and got more work. This kept happening until I was flat out busy.

I like being busy at work. It makes the day go faster and I feel like I'm being productive. However, it's not always the best approach.

I found myself on multiple occasions taking on too much work. I had more than I could handle. Some tasks were taking longer than expected, my inbox was filling up, and some tasks were just not getting done.

People were wondering why I wasn't getting things done like I used to. There was nothing wrong with the work I was getting, it was just that there was too much of it.

This is a common trap that many people fall into, especially if you're new to the IT industry. It takes some time, but getting to know what your capacity is will help you do your job better.

Don't be afraid to tell someone you don't have time or don't have capacity right now. It's better to do this at the start, than to take it on and have it take longer to do.

3.       Appearances Are Important

Looking like a professional is a big part of working in the industry. Sure, it's not good to judge a book by its cover, as the saying goes, but your appearance in the office tells a lot about who you are.

People in the office have a perception about the way others are dressed. The more professional you look, the more it seems like you know what you're doing and the more serious you take your job.

If you want to look good and have people take you seriously, put some effort into the way that you dress and appear at work. This doesn't mean you need to wear a suit and tie every day, if your company doesn't really need you to. I just mean that you should dress on the more professional side of the dress code. Stay away from t-shirts and shorts. I've seen this in a few offices, especially with younger people, and while it might seem cool, it's not very professional.

Sending a positive and professional image of yourself to others with the way you dress and appear will really help your career.

4.       How to Look Professional at Work

Don't Expect To Earn Great Money Right Away

The IT industry is known to be a high paying one. Getting a job that earns six figures (over 100,000$) is possible, and with the increase in technology start-ups in areas like San Francisco and New York city, it can be even easier to earn a great salary.

However, what you can earn and what you start earning are two very different numbers.

I see many articles and questions out there about how to earn six figures right out of college in an IT role. This is very rare to do.

Getting a great salary is possible in it. Whether this means 60k, 80k, 100k or something else to you, it can be done. But it takes some time.

Entry level roles start out pretty low. My first role paid 40k, which I understand was at the high level of the range (30-40k) in my area. I knew that my salary would go up in time. This would happen as I get more experience and move in to different roles. I won't divulge what I'm on now, as there may be people from my workplace reading this, but it's a lot more than the 40k I started on.

So, the main point of this is that high salaries cam be achieved, but it takes some time and effort to get there.

5.       How Do I Get A Pay Rise In IT?

Also, Don't Expect To Get the Best Projects All the Time

Working in the IT industry means you'll get to work on a lot of different projects. Depending on your role, you'll get to play different parts, sometimes in the same company and sometimes when you move jobs.

Unfortunately, you don't always get the best projects. Sometimes there are some really fun projects. Projects I've enjoyed are where we improve a manual process to make it online. Other times there are projects you don't enjoy, such as implementing a feature that seems useless but has benefits, or decommissioning an old system.

You don't always get the choice, or even the opportunity, to work on the best projects. Sometimes there is nothing available, and sometimes you just need to do the project that is there.

I think it's good to have a positive outlook on these situations. Try to think of what you can learn from these projects, and what the experience can do for you. You might end up working with different people which is good for your career.

6.       How to Get the Best IT Projects To Work On

All Teams Work Differently

I've worked as a software consultant for over seven years, which means I change clients every now and then. One of the things I've learnt is that the teams that I've worked in all work differently.

Sometimes the teams are achieving different goals, such as support instead of development. Sometimes it's the same kind of goal. However, every single team has a different way of getting things done.

This was a shock to me. After my first role, which I spent about three years in, I just thought that's how teams are run. I thought that's how the department works together, that's how meetings are held, that's where people sit, and so on.

Taking this mentality to the second company held be back for a while. It took me some time to realise that not everyone works the same way. Teams and companies evolve over time, and they do what works for them.

When you start to work somewhere, try to learn how the teams work and why they do what they do. Everyone does it differently and there is no one single way of working.

Work More Than Strictly 9 to 5

Most roles in the IT industry follow standard office hours, which are 9am to 5pm. I say most, because unless you're working in on call support, then you are probably working those hours.

When companies say the work hours are 9 to 5, this is usually the standard. But you don't want to be standard. You want to be awesome. Outstanding. Better than the rest.

To do that, work longer than this 9 to 5 standard. Arrive a bit earlier than 9am and leave a bit after 5pm. It doesn't have to be much outside this time, and of course you'll need it to fit in with your other commitments, but working these times will send a good impression and that you're not just watching the clock.

7.       It's OK To Ask Questions, Even Stupid Ones, Even More Than Once

One of the things I've noticed myself doing is asking questions more than once. Sometimes I'm not sure about something, or didn't understand what the other person's response was. So, I ask the question again, sometimes even later that day.

I don't think this is a bad thing, and I don't think it's something you should avoid.

I don't think there is such a thing as a stupid question. If you aren't sure about something, ask someone. It's better to ask a question to find out something, than to make a mistake because you didn't ask.

If someone makes a comment about how they have told you something already (which had happened to me a few times when I've asked something twice or even three times), just explain that you wanted to double check so you didn't mess it up. I'm sure that is the best outcome for everyone.

8.       Take Notes and Be Organised

Being organised really has some benefits when you are working in the IT industry. It really helps you get things done, helps to remember things and to keep track of what you're doing.

Taking notes is an important habit to get into. I encourage you to take notes when you go to meetings, when talking to people, and even when you're doing your work. It will help you remember things, so you're not sitting around wondering what happened a month ago or what someone said.

I highly recommend taking notes in an electronic format, instead of pen and paper. It's easier to search, easier to store, and accessible anywhere. I use Evernote, which is fantastic for this purpose, and works well for people in the IT industry. I've written a guide on how to use it specific for your IT career, which you can get here (link).

Being organised also involves keeping a clean email inbox, organising folders and files on your computer, and keeping your desk clean.

Not only does this mean you'll be better and more effective at your job, it also sends a good impression to your co-workers - "Wow, he's so good at what he does, and he's so organised as well!"

Related: Evernote - A Better Way to Take Notes at Work

9.       Have a Positive Attitude

I'm usually a pretty positive person. I try to stay positive in the workplace, regardless of what's happening.

I've seen other people who are the opposite. They are always negative, complaining all the time and getting into arguments about small things.

It's better to have a positive attitude while you're at work. I've noticed that people who are positive at are more admired, get better results and give better impressions to people than those who are negative. Negative people can be annoying, unproductive and not really of any use to your company.

Of course, it can be hard to control your emotions sometimes. We can't be happy 100% of the time. I'm just suggesting that having a positive attitude really helps in the office.

10.   Put Your Phone on Silent

Another thing I've learnt in the years of working in IT is how much affect nose has on people in the office. And one of the biggest and most annoying causes of noise and distraction is ringtones.

I hear phone ring tones all the time at work. People are always on the phone, which is fine, but the thing that annoys people is the ring tone of people's mobile phones.

Ring tones can be loud. Having a mobile phone go off can really be a distraction. Especially if the person who owns the phone isn't even there to answer it. It keeps ringing and ringing and puts off the people who are nearby.

It's even worse if the ringtone is loud or embarrassing. There are some kinds of ringtones which aren't really appropriate for work, but some people still set them. It doesn't send a good impression if you have one of these ringtones and if you on have it on in the workplace.

So what's the solution? Put your phone on silent or vibrate and put it on your desk. This way, you can still see the phone if it rings or if you get a message, and can still hear the vibration. Also, it doesn't annoy anyone nearby, regardless of the ringtone you have.

11.   Don't Be Afraid To Suggest New Ideas

The final thing that I've learnt from my first few years in the IT industry is that we should not be afraid to suggest new ideas.

Different companies do things in different ways, either because it works for them or because it's the way they have always done it. If you have an idea of a different way or a better way of doing something, speak up. Make a suggestion. Don't be afraid to suggest new ideas.

Even if it gets dismissed, at least you had the idea, which shows you are willing to help and that you're trying to improve both yourself and the company.

If the idea does go ahead, if it's worth investigating, then that's great. You might be asked to do more on it or to present it to someone, which can really help your achievements when it comes to your review.

So that's what I've learnt in my first seven years in the IT industry. I've made many mistakes and learnt a lot of lessons, and have been given some advice along the way

I hope this guide helps you and that you get some benefit from it.

 Ben www.completeitprofessional.com